Snap-on hub cap



Sept. 1 9, 1944. w. A. MULHERN SNAP-0N HUB CAP Filed Sept. 18, 1942 INVENT R wizziam fgi/Vyzem #,LAJM/w//w ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 19, 1944 UNITED vSTATES PATENT oFFlcE SNAP-ON HUB CAP William A. Mulhern, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation o! Delaware I Application September 18, 1942, Serial No. 458,819

4 Claims.

set tire bead receiving portions and forming slightlyreentrant depressions at the inner edges of the outer surfaces of the bottom walls of the tire bead receiving offsets. An object of the present invention is to provide a trim piece for such a vehicle wheel which might be so finished as to present the appearance of a white side wall tire extending from a smoothly contoured hub of relatively small diameter.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a trim piece in an assembly of the foregoing type whichwill aid in prevention of accidental displacement and loss of the ornamental hub cover.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hub cover which may be resiliently snapped into place on a wheel provided with chain grip receiving openings through the peripheries of the disc of the wheel, and a trim piece for the rim of the wheel which will aid in maintaining the hub cover in position without interfering with the functioning'of the chain grip receiving openings.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a trim piece for the rim of a vehicle wheel of the foregoing type which may be conveniently associated with and disassociated from a Wheel, and which may be readily manufactured with but few simple operations.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from an inspection of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the outer surface of a wheel assembly having a tire and the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a partial section on an enlarged scale taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar partial section on an enlarged scale taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modication of theA present invention.

The present invention is adapted to be applied to a wheel including a demountable disc portion i provided with openings II by means of which the disc may be removably attached to a, hub of the driving mechanism. The peripheral flange I2 of the disc wheel is attached to the bottom wall I4 of avrim including a drop center tire well formed by the bottom wall I4 and side walls I5, and oiset tire bead receiving portions including bottom walls I6 and outwardly flared flanges I'l. A slight safety ridge I8 is provided at each of the angles formed by the walls I5 and I6 by forcingthe metal of the rim upward, the displacement of the metal forming slightly reentrant depressions I9 on the outer surface of the rim. When the usual tire and tube is assembled in the rim as shown, the safety ridges prevent accidental displacement of the tire beads so that serious accidents after blowouts are often prevented from happening.

In accordance with usual practice the assembly is provided with an ornamental, inwardly dished hub cover 20 which is provided for the purpose of presenting a, smooth outward contour. A preferred manner of attaching such a hub cover is to provide a plurality of resilient clips 2| adapted to be forced through the usual chain grip openings 22 provided adjacent the periphery of the disc wheel.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the outer edge of the hub cover 20 is provided with a bead 23, which bead is of such diameter as to rest against the shoulder 26 at the junction of the bottom wall I4 and side wall I5 of the drop center tire well of the rim. When the resilient clips 2| are forced through the openings 22', they are displaced under stress from their normal position as shown in dotted outline to their position of application as shown in full outline, the clips thus serving to press the bead 23 against the shoulder 24.

In order to continue the pleasing visual effect of smooth contours the assembly is provided with an outwardly flared rim covering -collar 25 which may be painted to match the body trim or to present the appearance of a white side wall tire of great depth attached to a hub of relatively small diameter. In accordance with my invention the outer edge of the collar 25 is provided with a bead 26 adapted to rest against and extend upwardly beyond edge 21 of the outwardly flared portion I'I of the rim. The inner edge of the collar 25 is bent over to provide a bead 28 adapted to rest against the shoulder 24. The inner edge of a locking ring 30 is clamped in the angle of the bead 28, the ring extending upwardly from the inner edge of the collar 25 to contact the bottom wall I6 of the offset portion of the rim. The locking collar 38 is deeply slit as at 3| to provide a plurality of resilient tongues 32 having their free ends bent downwardly to present rounded surfaces adapted to be engaged in the depression I8. The distance between the inner edge of the collar 25 and the rounded edges of the tongues 32 is such as to cause springing. of the tongues 32 when the collar 25 is forced inwardly and some slight springing of the collar itself, thus causing the tongues to snap into the depressions I8 under compressive strains and force the beads 26 and 28 firmly against the adjacent portions of the rim. In the preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the greatest diameter. of the hub cover 20 is greater than the inner diameter of the collar 25 as dened by the bend of the bead` 28, and the bead 28 is sets in its side walls and safety ridges forced upwardly at the inner edges of the bottom walls of the tire bead receiving offsets, thus providing slightly reentrant depressions on the outer surface of the rim, a disc wheel to which said rim is peripherally attached, said disc wheel having a plurality of chain grip openings therethrough adjacent its periphery, a hub cover having its peripheral edge Aapproximately overlying the periphery of said ydisc wheel, a plurality of resilient clips fixed to said hub cover and adapted to be forced through said chain grip openings to retain said hub cover in position, and an outwardly flared collar overlying the outer surfaceof said rim from adjacent the periphery l of said hub cover to adjacent the periphery of adapted to overlie and press against the bead 23 of the hub cover 20, so that the collar 25 aids the clips 2| in holding the' hub cover against rattling, and also prevents accidental displacement and loss of the hub cover.

As shown in Fig. 3 the collar 25 is provided with a beaded opening 35 through which the valve stem 36 may protrude. Also the hub cover is preferably provided with a plurality of slots 31 adjacent the clips 2| through which the chain grips may be pass/edinto the openings 22.

The preferred embodiment of collar shown in Figs. 2 and 3 may be applied by pressing inwardly on the collar. lin this embodiment the collar may be removed by forcing a special tool between the beads 23 and 28 or by forcing a screw driver or tire changing tool between the bead 2B and the edge 2`| of the rim.

In the modification disclosed in Fig. 4 the details of the collar 25 are exactly as disclosed in the first embodiment. However, in this form of the assembly the hub cover |20 may be more easily formed since its outer edge is extended inwardly in the general plane of the main surface of the hub cover so as to cause the edge bead 2| thereof to lie in the angle formed by the bottom wall I4 of the rim` and the flange |2 of the disc wheel ||l.` In this form of the invention the edge of the hub cover |20 may be provided with a plurality of notches |22 adjacent the clips I2| so as to permit reception of the chain grips. As in the first modification the maximum diameter of the hub cover is preferably greater than the inner diameter of the bead 28 of the rim covering collar so that accidental displacement of the hub cover is prevented. However, in this form of the invention the bead 28 does not press against any portion of the hub cover so that a greater latitude of tolerances in forming the two members may be permitted at the expense of more likelihood of rattles developing due to weakening of the clips 2|.` To

overcome this likelihood to some extent the maximum diameter of the hub cover |20 is preferably such as to cause tight engagement between4 the bead |2| and the bottom wall I4 of the rim. I

Having illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my present invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same permits of various modifications in arrangement and detail. All such as come within the scope of the following claims are considered a part of my invention. A

I claim:

1. A wheel assembly 'comprising a, rim having a. drop center tire well, said rim having its flanges provided with tire bead receiving oil'- said hub cover.

the rim and having a plurality of resilient ,tongues extending upwardly from adjacent its inner edge into the depression provided by the outer surface of one of said reentrant safety ridges, said tongues being resiliently engageable in said depression upon the application of pressure against said collar and being so formed as to force the edges of said collar against adjacent portions of said rim, the maximum diameter of said hub cover being greater than the inner diameter of said collar so that said collar tends to prevent accidental displacement and loss of 2. A wheel'assembly comprising a rim having a drop center tire well, said rim having its anges provided with tire bead receiving offsets in its side Walls and safety ridges forced upwardly. at the inner edges of the bottom walls `of the tire bead receiving offsets, thus providing slightly reentrant depressions on the outer surface of the' a disc wheel yto which said rim is peripherally attached, said disc wheel having a plurality of chain grip openings therethrough adjacent its peripherya hub cover having its peripheral edge approximately overlyingthe periphery of said disc wheel,a plurality-of resilient clips fixed to said hub cover and adapted to be forced through said chain grip openings to 'retain said hub cover in position, and an outwardly :dared collar overlying the outer surface of said rim from adjacent the periphery of said hub cover to adjacent the periphery of the rim and having a plurality of resilient tongues extending upwardly from adjacent its inneredge into the depression provided by the outer surface of one of said reentrant safety ridges, said tongues beingA resiliently engageable in said depression uponthe application of pressure against said collar and being so formed as to force the edgespfsaidcollar against adjacent portions of said rim, the outer edge of said hub cover being outwardly flared and adapted to engage the shoulderformed by the bottom and a side wall of the drop center portion of said rim, the maximum diameter of said hub cover being greater than the inner diameter of said collar, and the inner edge of said collar being adapted to thrust against the outer edge of said hub cover when said collar is in position whereby said collar tends to prevent rattling of said hub cover and accidental loss of said hub cover.

y3. A wheel assembly comprising a rim having a drop center tire well, said rim having its .anges provided withtire' bead receiving offsets in its side Walls and safety ridges forced upwardly at the inner edges of thebottom walls'of ltheftirebead receiving osets, thus providing slightly re,- entrant vdepressions on the outer surface of the displacement and h 2,359,468 ally attached, said disc wheelhaving a pluralityv ofchain grip openings therethrough adjacent its periphery, a hub cover having its peripheral edge approximately overlying lthe periphery of said disc wheeel, a. plurality of resilient clips xed to said hub cover and adapted to'beforced through said chain' grip openings to retain said hub cover in position, an outwardly flared collar overlying the outer surface of said rim from adjacent the periphery of said hub cover to adjacent the periphery of the rim, and an upwardly and inwardly extending locking ring attached to the inner edge of said collar and comprising a plurality of resilient tongues extending into the depression provided by the outer surface of one of said reentrant safety ridges, said tongues being resilient'- ly engageable in said depression upon the application of pressure against said collar and being so formed as to force the edges of said collar against adjacent portions of said rim, the maximum diameter of said hub cover being greater than the inner diameter of said collar so that said collar tends to prevent accidental displacement and loss of said hub cover.

4. A wheel assembly comprising a-rim having a drop center tire well, said rim having its flanges provided with tire bead receiving offsets in its side walls and safety ridges forced upwardly at the inner edges of the bottom walls of the tire bead receiving offsets, thus providing slightly reentrant depressions on the outer surface of the rim, a disc wheel to which said rim is peripheraily attached, said discwheel having a plurality of chain grip openings therethrough adjacent its periphery, a h ub cover having its peripheral edge approximately overlying the periphery of said disc wheeel, a plurality of resilient clips xed to said hub cover and adapted to be forced through said chain grip openings to retain said hub cover in position, an outwardly ilared collar overlying the outer surface of said rim from adjacent the periphery of said hub cover to adjacent the pe-l riphery of the rim, and an upwardly and inwardly extending locking ring attached to the inner edgel of said collar and comprising a plurality of resilient tongues extending into the depression provided by the outer surface of one of said reentrant safety ridges, said tongues being resiliently engageable in said depression upon the application of pressure against said collar and being so formed as to force the edges of said collar against adjacent portions of said rim, the outer edge of said hub cover being outwardly flared and adapted to engage the shoulderformed by the bottom and a side wall of the drop center portion of said rim, the maximum diameter of said hub cover being greater than the inner diameter of said collar, and the inner edge of said collar being adapted to thrust against'the outer edge of said hub cover when lsaid collar is in position whereby said collar tends to prevent rattling of said hub cover and accidental displacement and loss of said hub cover.

WIILIAM A. MULHEIRN. 

